HUNDRED MILLION MARTIANS - reviews
Chaotic Critiques: January 2001 (Canada)
Hundred Million Martians: Marsbars
I've been following this Finnish quintet for a number of years, and Marsbars
stands as another proud notch in the band's belt. I have previously
compared the band with Superchunk, and, while I think that it remains a fair
comparison, I might qualify that statement by comparing HMM with early
Superchunk. Sugar-sweet power pop overflowing with memorable chorus hooks
and a punchy energy allows HMM to inject its catchy sounds directly into
your musical memory. The vocalist's endearing nasal whine pushes out the
lyrics with melodic charm, investing the songs with a compelling "hummable"
quality befitting the jangly power pop. HMM also reveals a slightly darker
side in tunes like Milk Turns Sour and Cool Shades, although it
generally prefers to rock with carefree abandon. Top tunes include the
infectious It Could Be Cool Tomorrow and the hard-driving I Wanna Be Your
Boyfriend.
Snowbound 3 (2000) (USA)
Hundred Million Martians: Marsbars
Hundred Million Martians continues the crusade against boredom with a weapon that's been
carried by Television, The Ramones, and Green Day: three-chord punk-pop. The fourth release
(second full-length CD) has lead vocalist Jyrki Mäkelä in snarling-good voice--backed by bright
harmonies and crunchy guitars. Except for a few slow intros, the songs drive fast and loud until
the closing ballad Cool Shades. Songs about girls, bad mornings, and dead-end lives, bounce
along while the Finnish rockers shout their choruses until either the girls comes to their
senses or something good comes on TV. From the whiplash opening of Where Ever You Are I
Hope You're Happy Now, the Martians play to their strengths with earthbound simplicity and
enough attitude to fuel several trips home.
Sunset 17/99 (Germany)
Hundred Million Martians: Marsbars
Dies ist nun schon ihr zweites Album. Und doch ist die finnische Power Pop Band, die zweifellos zu den besten des
Genres zählt, ausserhalb ihrer Heimat immer noch ein Geheimtip. Ach was, wahrscheinlich nicht mal das. Ungemein
eingängen festsetzen, sind hier wieder versammelt. Alle 12 Songs auf Marsbars sind von solchem Kaliber.
Ob nun das ungestume Waiting For Thuesdat, das verträumte Sudden Change oder sas grandiose I Wanna
Be Your Boyfriend, allesamt verdammte Hits in der Tradition olcher Bands wie der Undertones, Rubinoos oder
Plimsouls.
The Original Sin #23 (Belgium)
Hundred Million Martians: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend
Apart from Love Song, I Need You, I Miss You and Can't Live without You I Wanna Be Your
Boyfriend must be one of the most used titles in popworld! So why not pick up three songs with these
titles and to make the whole thing complete add your own song to it? That idea was spinning around in
Finnish punkrockers Hundred Million Martians and that's what they did on this CD. There are three covers
from I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (The Ramones, The Rubinoos and The Pushtwangers).
You don't have to be a musical expert to know that we're talking here about punk with a lot of respect for
the old rock'n'roll traditions. That's also the sound our Finnish friends have themselves. Catchy tunes
with a maximum of rock'n'roll. I just love that!
Chaotic Critiques #10 (Canada)
Hundred Million Martians: Martian Arts
Probably one of my favourite bands at the moment, this Finnish group has an addictive sound that I just cannot
get enough of. I still hear a bit of Superchunk in this band, although HMM is more consistent, poppier and
punkier. Sugar sweet pop melodies, an energetic, upbeat style, and a mixture of emotional expressional
expressions from melancholy to jubilance are all explored. Memorable harmonies allow Perfect Pop Song and
Brighter Days (and practically every other song on the album) to stand out as pictoresque examples of how
pop music should be constructed. Other styles are explored with the slow, anthemic Another Opportunity Missed,
the Dinosaur Jr.-ish Dream to Happen, the stomping What’s The Matter With You and the anguished
gushes of the closer Something About You. I think that the cymbals are a bit heavy in the mix, but a
very small problem in the face of pop/punk genius.
Noise For Heroes (web-zine)
Reviewed by Steve Gardner
Hundred Million Martians: Martian Arts
Besides being an all-round good guy, Hiljaiset Levyt label boss Jukka Juntilla also has a knack for digging up some of the
best bands Finland has to offer, and without being bound to any one style. This outfit plays Mega City Four styled
punk/pop without the overproduction that plagued a lot of records by that UK band. The ace track A Perfect Pop Song
from this CD pretty damn near lives up to its title…3 minutes of irresistibly catchy tunefulness and one of the best songs
you’ll hear all year. And there’s no lack on 13 other tracks…they’re all bursting with melody, harmony and energy, yet they
have an original feel to them that most of the US punk pop bands seem to have missed. Misery For Misery’s Sake busts
things open at the start with crunching guitar, great snotty vocals and soaring harmony parts. Brighter Days is two and a
half minutes of infectious good time punk pop bliss, and I Wanna Hate You makes me think of an amped up version of
the Soft Boys I Wanna Destroy You. This seemed a little lightweight the first time I played it, but now I can’t stop.
Moshable no. 17
Reviewed by SN
Hundred Million Martians: Brgihter Days
Finnish poppunk with ahealty nod to early Snuff and the awesome Filler. Very fast, hard and
intense and with great poppy vocals that have enough attitude and snare to keep it outta the Green Day
category of whining sissies. Four tracks that all hammer away in the best possible way. Super sound,
great riffing and loads of energy. It's been a long time since I heard stuff like this I actually liked
but this is perfect!
Maximum Rock'n'Roll no. 168
Reviewed by Ray Lujan
Hundred Million Martians: Brgihter Days
A four song CD EP of well produced pop punk with a very pop fell. Kinda reminds of Gigantor and
major label type pop punk. Two of the tunes are pretty decent and a Damned tribute is worth a mention.
Chaotic Critiques #8 (Canada)
Hundred Million Martians: Brighter Days
A full-on pop gem is a rarity these days. When 7" singles dominated, a song had to be
good, something that would force the listener to listen to it repeatedly. With the advent of
the CD player and the shuffle feature, songs no longer need to have this quality, sadly
enough. So imagine my surprise at this four-song CDEP, a seemingly innocent release
that managed to pack not one, not two, but all four songs with pop gem characteristics!
HMM recalls a cleaner, poppier Superchunk, although its ability to conjure
ultra-memorable harmonies is not only more consistent, it is on a level that I honestly don't
believe that the Superchunkers could touch (and that's a mighty big statement). The third
track, Jesus, provides a window into the moodiness that HMM can invoke, but the other
three tracks stick to boisterous and bright anthems that are carefree and jubilant.
Everything about this band clicks together in pop perfection - the instruments attach to the
impassioned vocals in a vigorous and gleeful symbiosis that builds gorgeous pop hooks
into songs that are perfectly imperfect, hitting home without the slickness of major label
pop, and making the sort of impact that could easily make this band an overnight
success.